Railway signaling system



March 24, 1936. J os RAILWAY SIGNALING SYSTEM Filed A ril 25, 1952 J g u BY v Patented Mar. 24, 1936 PATET RAILWAY SEGNALHNG SYSTEM Joaquin Resell, Barcelona, Spain, assignor to General Railway Signal Company, Rochester,

Application April 23, 1932, Serial No. 607,111

13 Claims.

This invention relates to railway signaling syste'ii'is of the absolute-permissive-block type, and more particularly to the application of a quick acting spectacle type light signal operated by currents of distinctive character applied to such a system. 7

An absolute-perinissive-block signaling type system is' one wherein trains may follow each A other with the usual spacing of trains and signal 1U: protection as afforded in one way traffic signaling,

with the additional protection of permitting trains to move only in one direction in a particular stretch of track at one time.

Other objects, purposes and characteristic features of the present invention will in part be apparent from the accompanying drawing and will in part be more specifically pointed out hereinafter.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be made to the accompanying drawing, in

which:

Fig. 1 shows an intermediate portion of a single track section in which one of the signals has been shown controlled and wired in accordance with the present invention; and

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 illustrate a light signal of the quick acting spectacle type in the clear, danger and caution positions, respectively.

Referring to the drawing, the track rails I 30 have been shown divided into' blocks by insulating joints 2, of which the block I and the adjacent ends of two other blocks H and J only have been illustrated. Each of these blocks preferably constitutes a central fed track circuit, which for the block I includes a transformer TR connected across the track fails I at an intermediate point in a block, which transformer feeds the track relays T and T Referring to Fig. 1, although the spectacle type light signal may be of any suitable construction,

and may be operated by polar circuits supplying either alternating current of different relative p0- larities or direct current of different polarities depending on its construction, and may include contacts operated by the motor of such light signal of varied designs, a signal S has been shown operated by a motor of the induction type including the rotor RW, a local field winding LW and a control field Winding CW This signal is preferably one of the focused beam or search-light type, wherein light rays come to a focus between the refiector' and lens thereof with a spectacle or movable color screen traversing the beam near said fo'cu's so that the spectacle color glasses may be very small and require very little power for operation thereof.

Each of the light signals S S S and S in cludes a spectacle SP, containing color screens or filters G, Y and R to transmit lights colored green, 5 yellow and red, respectively. Each of these light signals also includes a lamp L, which may be energized continuously, or may be energized in ac-' cordance with suitable approach lighting circuits Well known in the art. 10

The light beam emitted by the light signal is derived from the lamp L and is colored green, yellow or red depending upon whether the spec tacle assumes the clear, the caution or the danger position. The light signals under consideration include contacts ll! and H operated by the rotor" RW, and these contacts both assume their biasedposition, as shown in Fig. 3, when the signal motor is deenergized. The contact in only assumes its operated position (see Fig. 4) when the signal 0 assumes the caution position, and the contact H only assumes its operated position (see Fig. 2), when the signal mechanism assumes the clear po-' sition.

In addition to the apparatus already mentioned, g each signal location includes a pole changer relay PC and a stick relay .8, which relays have been designated 6P0 and 68, respectively, for the Sig-- nal location including signal S Each of these signal locations also includes a transformer, of 0 which the transformer for the signal location under consideration has been designated I2 and has its primary winding connected to a source of alternating current AC.

Operation Under normal clear traffic conditions, the winding CW of the signal S is energized through the following circuit:beginning at the upper terminal of the secondary winding of the transformer l2, wire [3, front contact M of the pole changer relay GPC, wire i k-A, contact I l-Al of the stick relay (associated with the signal S wire l5, contact 56 of the track relay T wire ll, back contact 58 of the stick relay SS 5 (associated with the signal S wire l9, front contact 2%, wire 2! of the track relay T winding CW wire 22, common return wire 0 and Wire 23 to the midpoint of the secondary winding of transformer I2. The winding CW is ener- 0 gized by a similar circuit, shown only in part, and including the contacts I8 and 2B of relays 5S and T respectively. The local winding LW is energized directly from, the secondary winding of the transformer by a circuit not shown in 5 the drawing. The currents in these two circuits are in practice displaced in phase so as to produce a torque in the rotor RW. The signal S therefore, assumes its clear position, as does also the signal 5. With the signal S in its clear position the contact II of this signal is closed, thus energizing the pole changer relay GPC through the following circuit:beginning at the terminal B, contact I I of signal S wire 24, winding of the relay GPC to the other terminal C of said battery.

Let us assume that there is a west-bound train moving in the single track section shown, and that this train has by its entrance into the single track section caused the tumble-down arrangement including the various circuits for the Windings CW of the various signals governing eastbound trafic to be opened sequentially. That is, the entrance of the west-bound train into the single track section eifected deenergization of the winding CW of signal S thereby causing the signal S to assume its deenergized position, allowing the return of the contact I I to its biased position and efiecting deenergization of the relay 6PC. After a short period of time, the relay 6P0 being slow dropping, its front contact I4 is opened, thereby effecting deenergization of the circuit for the winding CW of the signal S Back contact I4 does not reclose the circuit in question because front contact 4|] of relay BS is open. In the same way as explained for the signals '8 and S all of the signals governing east-bound tramc, and designated by the letter S containing even exponents, will be operated to the stop position blocking east-bound traffic through the entire single track section, so that the west-bound train may proceed in accordance with the signal indications of the west-bound signals S S etc., which signals are controlled in a manner more particularly described hereinafter with respect to the signals 8* and S Let us now assume that an east-bound train has entered the single track section, which train by its entrance will of course through the tumbledown arrangement place the signals S and .E; in the stop position for reasons heretofore pointed out in connection with signals S and S As this east-bound train (moving from left to right) enters the block I, it causes deenergization of the winding CW of the signal S by reason of the opening of the contact 20 of the track relay T As the train in question passes from the block I into the block J, it effects deenergization of the track relay T Dropping of the track relay T opens its contact 20 and closes its contact 30. Opening of the contact 20 effects deenergization of the control winding CW of the signal S which results in operation of the signal S to its danger position opening its contact I I.

Since the various pole changer relays, such as relay 6P0 are slow acting, the pole changer relay GPC will not assume its deenergized position until the stick relay 6S has been picked up through the following circuit:beginning at the terminal B, back contact 30 of the track relay T wires 3| and 32, front contact 33 of the relay BPC, wires 34 and 35, winding of the relay 68 to the other terminal The stick relay 68 being quick acting closes its stick contact 35 very quickly and is thereby stuck up through the following stick circuit:beginning at the terminal B, back contact 39 of relay T wires 3| and 31, stick contact 33 of relay 65, wires 38 and 35, winding of the stick relay ES to the other terminal After a short period of time the relay 6PC will assume its deenergized position and will provide another or auxiliary stick circuit for the relay 68 which may be traced through the back contact 33 of relay SP and the stick contact 36 of relay 35, as readily traced in the drawing.

The provision of the two stick circuits, just mentioned, enables the use of a very quick acting stick relay, this because the stick relay, such as relay BS, is held up through the stick circuit including back contact 30, while the relay SP0 is moving from its energized to its deenergized position. As the east-bound train progresses the winding CW of the signal S is energized by current of negative relative polarity as soon as the rear end of the train under consideration leaves the block I, this because the departure of the train from block I results in closure of the contact I6 of the track relay T With this contact closed current of negative relative polarity may flow through the winding CW through the following circuit:beginning at the lower terminal of the secondary winding of transformer I2, front contact 40 of the stick relay 6S, wire 4|, back contact I4 of the relay 6P0, wire I l-A, contact I I-AI of the stick relay 55, wire I5, contact I6 of track relay T wire I'I, back contact I8 of stick relay 38, wire I9, front contact 20 of track relay T wire 2|, winding CW of the signal S wires 22, C and 23 to the midpoint of the secondary winding of transformer I2. The completion of this circuit operates the signal S to the caution position (see Fig. 4) thereby giving a yellow caution indication to a train approaching the signal S It may be pointed out that the stick relays 3S and 5S are part of the equipment associated with signals S and S respectively, and are controlled by their associated track relays and pole changer relays in a manner as has already been described in connection with the signal S and that the back contact I8 of the stick relay 38 is a check contact, and prevents the signal S being cleared should the stick relay 38 be picked up falsely. The contacts I8 and I 8 of these relays 3S and 58, are therefore check contacts to assure that conflicting signal indications cannot be set up at the same signal location. The slow acting pole changer relay, such as the relay SP0, is necessary by reason of the quick acting spectacle operating mechanism of the light signal. For instance, if the contact 33 of relay 6P0 were operated directly by the mechanism of the signal S the stick relay 6S would probably fail to pick up for east-bound train movements, as has heretofore been described. The relay 6P0 is sufficiently slow acting to allow the stick relay 68 to pick up in response to dropping of the contact 39 of relay T before the contact 33 of the relay BPC has moved from its attracted position.

Having thus shown and described one rather specific embodiment of the present invention, it is desired to be understood that applicant's invention is not limited to the specific structure shown, except as demanded by the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. In an absolute-permissive-block signaling system of the light signal type, a single track section, three-position light signals of the relay operated focal-plane spectacle type for governing trafic in one direction, three-position light signals of the relay operated focal-plane spectacle type for governing traffic in the other direction, contacts on each signal operated in accordance with the spectacles thereof and closed in the caution and; clear positions of such signal, a slow acting relay for each signal operated by circuits including such contacts, a circuit for each signal including a front contact of the slow acting relay associated with the next signal in advance, a stick relay for each signal, a track circuit in advance of'each signal and including a track relay, a pickup circuit for each stick relay including a front contact of the associated slow acting relay and a back contact of the associated track relay, a stick circuit for each stick relay including a back contact of said slow acting relay and its own front contact, and an auxiliary circuit for each signal including afront contact of the stick relay of the next signal in advance.

2. In an absolute-permissive-block signal system, in combination, a three-position searchlight type signal at each of several successive signal locations, a slow acting repeater relay for each signal energized if the associated signal assumes either the clear or the caution condition, a circuit for each signal energized by current of one polarity to operate such signal to the clear condition and closed if the repeater relay of the next signal in advance is energized, a stick relay for each signal, controlled by the repeater relay, and picked up and stuck up only in response to the movement of a train by such signal in the direction governed by such signal, and another circuit for each signal energized by current of another polarity to place the signal in its caution condition and closed only if the stick relay of the next signal in advance is energized and the repeater relay of the next signal in advance isdeenergized.

3, In an absolute-permissive-block signal system, "in combination, a three-position searchlight type signal at each of several successive signal locations, a slow acting repeater relay for each signal energized if the associated signal assumes either the clear or the caution condition, a circuit for each signal energized to operate such signal to the clear condition closed if the repeater relay of the next signal in advance is energized, a stick relay for each signal picked up and stuck up only in response to the movement of a train by such signal in the direction governed by such signal, and another circuit for each signal energized to place the signal in its caution condition closed only if the stick relay of the next signal in advance is energized and the repeater relay of the next signal in advance is deenergized.

4. In an absolute-permissive-block signal system, in combination, a three-position searchlight type signal at each of several successive signal locations, a slow acting repeater relay for each signal energized if the associated signal assumes either the clear or the caution position, a circuit including a line wire for each signal energized by current of one polarity to operate such signal to the clear position closed if the repeater relay of the next signal in advance is energized, a stick relay for each signal, controlled by its repeater relay, and picked up and stuck up only in response to the movement of a train by such signal in the direction governed by such signal, and another circuit including the same line wire for each signal energized by current of another polarity to place the signal in its cautionposition closed only if the stick relay of the next signal in advance is energized and the repeater relay of the next signal in advance is deenergized.

5. In an absolute-permissive-block signal system, in combination, a three-position searchlight type signal at each of several successive signal locations, a slow'acting repeater relay for each signal energized if the associated signal assumes either the clear or the caution condi* tion, a circuit for each signal energized to ri crate suph signal to the clear condition closed if the repeater relay of the next signal in advance is energized, a stick relay having a pick-up circuit closed only if the block in advance of its associated signal is occupied, the pick up circuit including a front point of the repeater relay of the associated signal and a stick circuit including a back contact of said repeater relay, and another circuit for each signal energized to place the signal in its caution condition closed only if the stick relay of the next signal in advance is energized and the repeater relay of the next signal in ad Vance is deenergized.

6. In an absolute-permissiveblock signal system, in combination, a three-position searchlight type signal at each of several successive signal locations, a slow acting repeater for each signal energized if the associated signal assumes either the clear or the caution position, a circuit for each signal energized by current of one polarity to operate such signal to the clear position closed if the repeater relay of the next signal in advance is energized, a stick relay having a pick-up circuit closed only if the block in advance of its associated signal is occupied and the repeater relay of the associated signal is still assuming its energized position and a stick circuit including a back contact of said repeater relay, and another circuit for each signal energized by current of another polarity to place the signal in its caution position closed only if the stick relay of the next signal in advance is energized and the repeater relay of the next signal in advance is deenergized.

'7. In an absolute-permissive block signal system, the combination with a three-position search-light type signal at each of several succes sive signal locations, of aslow acting repeater relay for each signal energized if the associatedsignal 'assumeseither the clear or the caution position, a circuit for each signal energized to operate such signal to the clear position closed if the repeater relay of the next signal in advance is energized, a stick relay having a pick-up circuit closed only if the block in advance of its associated signal is occupied and including a frontpointof the repeater relay of the associated signal and two stick circuits one including a back con tact of its associated repeater relay and the other including a contact closed only if the block in advance of its associated signal is occupied, and another circuit for each signal energized to place the signal in its caution position closed only if the stick relay of the next signal in advance is energized and the repeater relay or the next signal in advance is deenergized.

8 In an absolute-permissive-block' signal sys tern, in combination, a three-position searchlight type signal at each of several successive signal locations, a slow acting repeater relay for each signal energized if the associated signal assumes either the clear or the caution position, a circuit foreach signal energized by current or one polarity to operatesuch signal to the clear position! close'd if the repeater relay of the next signal in advance is energized,- a stick relay hay-- ing a pick-upcircuit c osed only if the block in advance of its associated signal is occupied and the repeater relay of the associated signal is still assuming its energized position and two stick circuits one including a back contact of its associated repeater relay and the other including a contact closed only if the block in advance of its associated signal is occupied, and another circuit for each signal energized by current of another polarity to place the signal in its caution position closed only if the stick relay of the next signal in advance is energized and the repeater relay of the next signal in advance is deenergized.

9. In an absolute-permissive-block signaling system of the light signal type, a single track section, three-position light signals of the relay operated focal-plane spectacle type for governing traffic in one direction, three-position light signals of the relay operated focal-plane spectacle type for governing trafic in the other direction, contacts on each signal operated in accordance with the spectacles thereof closed in either the caution or clear position of such signal, a slow acting relay for each signal operated by circuits including such contacts, a circuit for each signal energized by current of positive polarity including a front contact of. the slow acting relay associated with the next signal in advance, a stick relay for each signal, a track circuit in advance of each signal and including a track relay, a pick-up circuit for each stick relay including a front contact of the associated slow acting relay and a back contact of the associated track relay, a stick circuit for each stick relay including a back contact of said slow acting relay and its own front contact, and an auxiliary circuit for the said signal energized by current of negative polarity including a front contact of the stick relay of the next signal in advance.

10. In an absolute-permissive-block signal system; a stretch of railway track divided into a plurality of track sections; a light signal of the movable aspect type, capable of indicating clear, caution and stop, located at the entrance to each of said track sections; a slow acting repeater relay for each of said signals energized only when its associated signal indicates clear or caution; a stick relay for each of said signals; a pick up circuit for each stick relay closed only when a train has passed its associated signal at clear or caution and closed only so long as said associated slow acting repeater relay remains in a picked up position; a stick circuit for each stick relay including its own front contact and a back contact of its associated slow acting repeating relay; and operating means for each of said signals energized with one polarity to cause such signal to indicate clear when'the slow acting relay of the next signal in advance is energized,

energized with the opposite polarity to cause such signal to indicate caution when the slow acting relay of the next signal in advance is deenergized only if said stick relay for such signal in advance is picked up, and said operating means being deenergized at all times when the section of track which is governed by that signal is occupied.

11. In an absolute-permissive-b1ock signal system; a stretch of railway track divided into a plurality of track sections; a light signal of the movable aspect type, capable of indicating clear, caution and stop, located at the entrance to each of said track sections for both directions; a slow acting repeater relay for each of said signals energized only when its associated signal indicates clear or caution; a stick relay associated with each of said signals; a pick-up circuit for each stick relay closed only when a train has passed its associated signal at clear or caution in a direction governed by such signal and closed only so long as said slow acting repeater relay associated with that signal is in a picked up position; a stick circuit for each stick relay including its own front contact and a back con--. tact of its associated slow acting repeating relay; operating means for the movable aspect of each of said signals for causing such signal to indicate clear when energized with one polarity, to indicate caution when energized with the opposite polarity, and to indicate stop when de-energized; and circuit means for energizing each of said signal operating means with said one polarity when said slow acting relay for the next signal in advance for the same direction is energized, for energizing each of said signal operating means with said opposite polarity when said slow acting relay for the next signal in ad- Vance for the same direction is de-energized only if said stick relay associated with such signal in advance for the same direction is picked up, and said circuit means de-energizing said signal operating means at all times when the section of track which is governed by that signal is cocupied and when any one or all of said stick relays for said signals in advance for the opposite direction are picked up.

12. In an absolute-permissive-block signal system; a three-position search-light type signal at each of several successive signal locations; a slow acting repeater relay for each signal always energized if the associated signal assumes either theclear or caution positions; a circuit for each of said signals energized for operating such signal to the clear position when closed, said circuit being closed only if the repeater relay of the next signal in advance is energized; a stick relay for each of said signals picked up and stuck up only in response to the movement of a train past such signal in a direction governed by such signal; and another circuit for each signal energized to place such signal in its caution position when closed, said another circuit being closed only if the stick relay of the next signal in advance is picked up and only if the repeater relay of the next signal in advance is dropped away.

13. In an absolute-pennissive-block signal system; a three-position search-light type signal at each of several successive signal locations; a slow-acting repeater relay for each signal always energized if the associated signal assumes either the clear or caution positions; a circuit for each of said signals energized for operating such signal to the clear position when closed, said circuit including a front contact of the repeater relay of the next signal in advance; a stick relay for each of said signals picked up and stuck up only in response to the movement of a train past such signal in a direction governed by such signal; and another circuit for each signal energized to place such signal in its caution position when closed, said another circuit including a front contact of the stick relay of the next signal in advance and including a back contact of the repeater relay of the next signal in advance.

JOAQUIN ROSELL. 

